MADISON, Ala. — Following a brilliant performance on the mound that saw him earn a promotion to Triple-A for the first time, former Rocket City Trash Pandas pitcher Brett Kerry has been named Southern League Pitcher of the Month for August.
The league award is the third of Kerry’s professional career and the first for a Rocket City pitcher in 2023. Kerry becomes the third Trash Pandas player to be named Southern League Pitcher of the Month after Chase Silseth and Coleman Crow did so in 2022. Kerry also was named Southern League Pitcher of the Week twice during the 2022 season. Earlier this year, Orlando Martinez was named Southern League Player of the Month of April while Zach Neto and Jeremiah Jackson each earned Southern League Player of the Week honors.
In six starts last month, Kerry went 2-0 with a 1.70 ERA, allowing seven earned runs over a league-best 37.0 innings while striking out 34. His batting average against (.182) and WHIP (0.89) both led the Southern League.
Kerry began the month with a quality start at Birmingham on August 1, allowing one run over six innings with seven strikeouts. After allowing three runs in his next start, Kerry picked up his first win of the month on August 12 vs. Mississippi, needing just 74 pitches to throw seven strong innings. He won his next start on August 19 at Tennessee with five scoreless innings, striking out eight as the Trash Pandas shut out the Smokies.
Following a quality start on August 25 vs. Birmingham, Kerry ended the month with the best start of his career on August 31 at Mississippi. That night at Trustmark Park, Kerry set a new career-high with eight scoreless innings, allowing just two hits while walking none and striking out six in a 2-1 Rocket City victory.
He was promoted to Triple-A Salt Lake for the first time on September 1 and is expected to make his Triple-A debut this week when Salt Lake hosts Tacoma. This season for the Trash Pandas, Kerry went 6-4 with a 3.88 ERA and two saves in 23 games, striking out 106 over 118.1 innings. He currently leads the Trash Pandas in wins, ERA, strikeouts, and WHIP (1.18).
Kerry first joined the Trash Pandas in September 2021 and has been a mainstay in the rotation since then. Over in 49 total games for Rocket City from 2021-23, he went 11-11 with a 4.06 ERA, three saves, and 226 strikeouts in 226.1 innings. He is currently the franchise leader in games started, innings pitched, and strikeouts while tying for the lead in wins. Kerry is also the first player in Trash Pandas history to pitch 100 or more innings and strike out 100 or more in two consecutive seasons.
Kerry, 24, was originally selected by the Angels in the fifth round of the 2021 draft out of South Carolina.
The Trash Pandas are back home through Sunday, September 10 in their final homestand of the regular season to face the Pensacola Blue Wahoos.
